WAIW: Something for Everyone

Where Am I Wednesday?

Fifty points to the first person to identify where this photo was taken.

Answer is after the jump.

Dining, Hookah, and Belly Dance

Yours truly enjoying hookah in Egypt

Richardson, Texas, is not Egypt. Everything here has to be so difficult. The property in question here is zoned retail and has been for decades. The property to the immediate north is, too, but is undeveloped. The property to the south across the street is zoned retail and unified residential. So zoning is not the problem. The plan is for a restaurant, not a bar or lounge. It's not just another hookah lounge in a neighborhood of hookah lounges. It's family friendly. It offers a mix of services — food, entertainment, alcohol, hookah. It's a unique concept for Richardson. Maher Maho of Frisco, mayor of that city from 2008-2017, came to Richardson to speak before the City Council to support the request. I can't remember that happening before.

Pachinko (TV 2022)

Rotten Tomatoes

Pachinko (TV 2022): Four generations of a Korean family in Japan. Story jumps back and forth in time, which is part confusing, part spoiler because you see the family's future. American viewers will learn some history that Japanese viewers won't like. Ends without resolution. B-

The Batman (2022)

Rotten Tomatoes

The Batman (2022): Long, dark, and repetitious. No humor. Batman has to catch a serial killer. No mystery. Riddler and Penguin are villains, but not evil geniuses. Catwoman is defined by her relationship to men. They are all lifeless comic book characters. Need another reboot. C-

The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent (2022)

Rotten Tomatoes

The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent (2022): Nicolas Cage plays a movie star (himself) who gets mixed up in a CIA plot to capture an arms dealer. Billed as an action-comedy, it comes up short on both. Also fails as a character study of a fading star. For Nicolas Cage fans. C+

Doctor Strange (2016)

Rotten Tomatoes

Doctor Strange (2016): Origin story. Insufferable neurosurgeon recovers from a car accident by going to Kathmandu and studying sorcery. In the process he becomes even more insufferable and has to save the world from the darkness. Occasional wise cracks keep matters light. B-

Needed to watch this before "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness" was released. #VeryTardyReview

Severance (TV 2022)

Rotten Tomatoes

Severance (TV 2022): Sci-fi mystery. Ever wish you could free your mind of work when you leave the office? With Lumon's mind chip you can. Four co-workers grow suspicious. Show is slow to reveal what's going on, even slower why, setting up Season 2. Equally devious and absurd. B-

WAIW: Oils, Watercolors, and Acrylics

Where Am I Wednesday?

Fifty points to the first person to locate this photo.

Answer after the jump.

The Partisans Are Coming for District 5

From: Anna Donlan

"The Partisans Are Coming for Your Cities and Schools." That was the headline of a Texas Monthly article as far back as five years ago. The Wheel wrote about the encroachment of partisan party politics several times (e.g., in November, 2020: "Partisan Nonpartisan Elections"). I do not like it when the Republicans do it. I do not like it when the Democrats do it. I do not like it.

I DO NOT LIKE THEM HERE OR THERE.
I DO NOT LIKE THEM ANYWHERE.
I DO NOT LIKE GREEN EGGS AND HAM.
I DO NOT LIKE THEM, SAM-I-AM.

Let's Talk: Child Grooming

Source: Alliance for Children.

During the public comment section of the April 11, 2022, Richardson ISD school board meeting, one speaker criticized RISD for practicing child "grooming" in elementary schools as part of official RISD policy. Yeah. Then it got worse.

"CRT-esque Ideologies"

In case you still wonder, CRT is not a subject taught in public schools in Richardson ISD, nor anywhere else in Texas. It's against state law to teach CRT in Texas public schools. Where does the myth that it's in RISD come from and why is it so hard to put down? In part, it's because partisans wanting to take over school boards know that people have bad connotations for the words "critical," "race," and "theory." Put them together and people think surely CRT must be something really bad, even if people can't say exactly what it is. If critics actually define the term CRT, they fall back on making up their own definition. And their own definition is something even libtards agree is bad. It's a straw man that the critics erect because it's easy to argue against. But it's not being taught, no matter how many times the critics cry "CRT, CRT, CRT."

Random Thoughts: 1950 Census Has Been Released!

Tweets from April, 2022:

• 2022-04-01: 1950 Census has been released! Woot for everyone over 72.
• 2022-04-02: "In 2019, Mike Tyson said on Joe Rogan's podcast that, ever since smoking toad, he's 'never been the same.' " If there's a straight line with more openings for a punchline than this one, I haven't seen it.
• 2022-04-04: The Bubble (2022): Judd Apatow comedy about making a movie in a pandemic quarantine. The bubble's isolation eventually cracks everyone. Pokes fun at actors, directors, producers, social media influencers, (crew escapes unscathed), all with characters immediately forgettable. C-
• 2022-04-04: I just got an email from Trump that I can't figure out. "Friend, This has NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE. As THE TOP donor, I've texted you 3000% more. Do you want to stay on top?" Then it says, "CONTRIBUTION STATUS: PENDING. DEADLINE: IMMEDIATELY."
  Is he losing it?
• 2022-04-04: Steve Brown has a job with DMN copy-and-pasting developers' press releases into the newspaper. Nice work if you can get it.

After the jump, more random thoughts.

RISD Eight Day Finance Reports Tell a Story

From: source unknown

Campaign finance reports are available for review on the Richardson ISD website under "Election Filings". Earlier, I reviewed reports from the first three months of 2022. Now, eight days out from the election, reports for the last month are available. The new reports tell much the same story as the earlier ones, but with a few interesting updates that caught my eye.

Let's Talk: Graphic Sex in Novels

Source: What Girls are Made Of, by Elana K. Arnold.

During the public comment section of the April 11, 2022, Richardson ISD school board meeting, one speaker raised a concern about a book she says is in the school libraries of Berkner High School, Richardson High School, and Richardson West Junior High School. After warning audience members that they might want to leave the room, she read a long passage from the book. Or maybe it just seemed long. It was explicit. It was embarrassing.

The Northman (2022)

Rotten Tomatoes

The Northman (2022): Based on Viking myth. Amleth seeks to avenge death of his father by his uncle. Sound familiar? Substitute Hamlet and you know the key plot points. Full of savagery, blood and gore. Authentic looking throughout, but I never got invested in the characters. B-

The closest movie I can think of that has a similar look and feel, although it's an entirely different period and story, is 2019's The Lighthouse, also directed by Robert Eggers. These movies tend to make an impression that sticks with you.

WAIW: "To Those Who Exercise It"

Where Am I Wednesday!

Where Am I Wednesday?

Fifty points to the first person to locate this photo.

The answer is after the jump.

Let's Talk: Seven Dirty Words

Source: Lost in the Sun, by Lisa Graff.

During the public comment section of the April 11, 2022, Richardson ISD school board meeting, one speaker raised a concern about a book her third grade daughter found in her school library.

Want RISD Elections to be Nonpartisan? Say Something.

Call out political parties who insist on turning our local elections into partisan affairs.

You know how I feel about keeping local city and school elections nonpartisan. I have always wanted state and national political parties to stay out of local elections. I have called out both Democrats and Republicans when I feel they are crossing the line.

Let's Talk: Lawsuits

Source: Adam Maida / The Atlantic.

During the public comment section of the April 11, 2022, Richardson ISD school board meeting, one speaker raised a concern about how a complaint they submitted is being handled.

Somebody Somewhere (TV 2022)

Rotten Tomatoes

Somebody Somewhere (TV 2022): Breakout hit for Bridget Everett. Sitcom about a woman in a midlife crisis who returns home to Manhattan, Kansas. Show doesn't make the residents there the butt of the jokes. Instead, it's sweet, sensitive, and real. And sometimes funny, too. B+

All the Old Knives (2022)

Rotten Tomatoes

All the Old Knives (2022): Spy thriller that lacks thrills. No gun fights, no car chases, no explosions. Still, it offers a satisfying, if implausible, mystery as Chris Pine searches for the mole inside the CIA and suspects his old flame, Thandiwe Newton. C+

CRT, Book Bans and Me: Annotated

Source: Wilshire Baptist Church.

Wilshire Baptist Church hosted a panel discussion April 19 on "CRT, Book Bans and Me." It was moderated by George Mason, senior pastor. Panelists were Rev. Charlie Johnson, Founder & ED for Pastors for Texas Children, Casey Boland, US History Teacher at LHHS, and Dr. Jeannie Stone, Richardson ISD Superintendent 2017-2021. After listening to too many members of the public excoriate school leaders at too many school board meetings, for me this panel discussion was like a welcome palate cleanser. It was like, as George Mason put it, "a return to the old days of civility."

You can read a straight news story about the discussion in Baptist News Global. Or watch a replay of the whole panel discussion. All I intend to do here is randomly annotate a few of the panelists' comments with thoughts that occurred to me as I listened.

Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022)

Rotten Tomatoes

Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022): An Asian-American woman with a strained family life and a failing laundromat has a midlife crisis. Then at an IRS audit she gets sucked into the multiverse. Another problem or her salvation? Weird, wonderful and an hour too long. B-

WAIW: Stop and Smell the Roses

Stop and Smell the Roses.

Where Am I Wednesday?

Fifty points to the first person to locate this photo.

Blocked on Twitter

I didn't use the candidates' responsiveness to voters' questions and feedback as a factor in The Wheel's 2022 Voters Guide. But if I had...

The Wheel's 2022 Voters Guide

Early voting for the 2022 Richardson ISD school board election starts Monday, April 25. So, too, for the Dallas College school board election, a new field for The Wheel to cover. RISD is electing trustees in three single-member districts (if you don't live in one of those districts, no RISD race will be on your ballot). Dallas College is electing trustees in two single-member districts, one of which includes [most of] RISD. Use Vote411.org to see your personalized ballot and to read how the candidates answered a questionnaire by the League of Women Voters.

There are some great candidates running. There are also some who are a risk to equity/diversity/inclusion, to social-emotional learning, to anti-racism policies, to prudent public health measures, and ultimately to effective education, which can't happen without supporting a safe and healthy environment for learning the three Rs. Use The Wheel's Voters Guide to learn one person's opinion about which candidates are which.

POTD: Temple of Hatshepsut

From 2019 11 22 Valley of the Kings

Today's photo-of-the-day is from the Temple of Hatshepsut on the west bank of the Nile River opposite Luxor, Egypt. Hatshepsut (c. 1507—1458 BCE) was one of the few female pharaohs of ancient Egypt, ruling the country for twenty years. The architecture of this mortuary temple is unlike any other ancient building in Egypt, to my knowledge. It's as impressive from afar as it is from up close.

POTD: Hatshepsut's Modern Girls

From 2019 11 22 Valley of the Kings

Today's photo-of-the-day is from the Temple of Hatshepsut on the west bank of the Nile River opposite Luxor, Egypt. Hatshepsut (c. 1507—1458 BCE) was one of the few female pharaohs of ancient Egypt, ruling the country for twenty years. Egypt was never known as being particularly welcome to female rulers. I don't know how much the young women in this photo appreciate the accomplishments of Hatshepsut, but I hope they are inspired to lead Egypt in the 21st Century.

P.S. That's "L" in the middle, wearing her favorite "camel" pants, equally at home in the Temple of the Pharaoh Hatshepsut and with a group of modern girls.

Let's Talk: Teacher Salary Compression

Source: TASB.

During the public comment section of the April 11, 2022, Richardson ISD school board meeting, one speaker raised a concern about teacher salary compression.

Despite TOMA's Gag, Let's Talk

Source: TOMA Handbook.

The Texas Open Meetings Act (TOMA) is one of the laws that sounds good in principle, but the devil is in the details. Let's talk about how TOMA gags school boards, and then some simple steps school boards can take to better achieve TOMA's stated aims.

Yellowstone - S01 (TV 2018)

Rotten Tomatoes

Yellowstone - S01 (TV 2018): Soap opera on a scenic ranch in Montana. Aging patriarch. Four rebelling children, all really just wanting to please daddy. King Lear on the frontier? I wish. A grab bag of plot predicaments, clichéd dialog, and one-note acting. Pretty scenery. D+

#VeryTardyReview

Judging Candidates by the Company They Keep

"Tell me the company you keep, and I will tell you what you are." — Miguel Cervantes

A political faction is active in the Richardson ISD school board election. They are raising money through a political action committee and are campaigning with candidates in a coordinated fashion. That faction is the Richardson ISD Families First PAC. The candidates are Sherry Clemens (RISD District 2 candidate) and Jan Stell (RISD District 5 candidate). Oh, and they are all palling around with a certain "viral comedian."

Following the Money in RISD Campaigns

From: source unknown

Campaign finance reports are available for review on the Richardson ISD website under "Election Filings". The reports cover only the last few months. 2021 contributions aren't included. Obviously, future contributions between now and Election Day aren't included. Here are my observations from a cursory look at these partial reports.

Peacemaker (TV 2022)

Rotten Tomatoes

Peacemaker (TV 2022): Superhero comedy. John Cena from Suicide Squad saves Earth from an alien invasion of body-snatching butterflies. Mostly silly, stupid behavior that always implausibly works out in the end. Best part might be the title sequence's TikTok dance. C+

Short-Term Rentals Are Getting Regulated, a Little

Source: Airbnb.

Complaints about Airbnb, Vrbo, etc., aren't new. On Monday, the Richardson City Council reviewed options for regulating short-term rental properties in Richardson. Why did it take so long? The wheels of government turn slowly, but the wheels are turning. That might not result in the strong actions some might hope for or expect.

The Tourist (TV 2022)

Rotten Tomatoes

The Tourist (TV 2022): After a car accident, a man wakes up in the Australian outback with amnesia. As he pieces his life back together, the more he learns, the less he likes. Just the right mix of mystery and thriller...and burrito. LSD does too much of the storytelling. B+

Apollo 10 1/2 (2022)

Rotten Tomatoes

Apollo 10 1/2 (2022): Richard Linklater's animated look back at his childhood near the Johnson Space Center during the moon landing. No plot; mostly nostalgic references to a kid's life in the 1960s (TV, games, technology, school, food). Baby Boomers should love it. C+

The Bubble (2022)

Rotten Tomatoes

The Bubble (2022): Judd Apatow comedy about making a movie in a pandemic quarantine. The bubble's isolation eventually cracks everyone. Pokes fun at actors, directors, producers, social media influencers, (crew escapes unscathed), all with characters immediately forgettable. C-

POTD: The Sentinels

The Sentinels, by Carolyn Chilton Casas

How the trees have grown
around us,
with a surplus of winter
and spring rains.
...
The trees form a sacred den,
shelter us from external elemental ravages.
Sentinels of sentient existence,
wise keepers cradling
my spirit in their limbs.

Source: The Sentinels.

Random Thoughts: Gov. Greg Abbott Hates Kids

Tweets from March, 2022:

• 2022-03-01: Gov. Greg Abbott hates kids.
• 2022-03-03: Email from Trump: "While the Radical Left and Lamestream Media are working overtime to turn the Nation against me, it's important that you know that I've never cared what they think. I only care what you think, Friend." How do I tell him that I think the same?
• 2022-03-03: The Kings Man (2021): A prequel no one needed. WWI fan fiction. British aristocratic spy puts himself in the center of every important event of WWI. Really bad history. Over the top, but not in a knowing, wink-wink way. Probably baffling to many. A waste of time. C-
• 2022-03-04: The Courier (2021): Cold War spy movie. Benedict Cumberbatch is a businessman recruited to smuggle secrets out of USSR. Game gets riskier as his friendship with a Russian spy grows. Not a James Bond action movie. Instead it's based on real life, meaning the stakes are real. B+
• 2022-03-05: We have at least one candidate for Richardson ISD school board trustee running on that claim.

After the jump, more random thoughts.

Richardson's Future Hidden Gem for the Visual Arts

Source: Virtual Builders Exchange.

UT-Dallas in Richardson (my new name for our university) announced that groundbreaking on the Crow Museum of Asian Art will happen in about a month.

Shifting Odds on RISD's Superintendent Search

Sherry Clemens, Eron Linn, Vanessa Pacheco

Yesterday, I analyzed one key question from the forum of Richardson ISD District 2 school board candidates Sherry Clemens, Vanessa Pacheco, and Eron Linn (incumbent), hosted by the Berkner High School PTA. Today, reading between the lines, I speculate that we might have learned some significant news from another question. At least, it changes the odds that I would place on the job search for a new superintendent.

RISD Election Reduced to One Question

Sherry Clemens, Eron Linn, Vanessa Pacheco

The Berkner High School PTA hosted a forum of Richardson ISD District 2 school board candidates Sherry Clemens, Vanessa Pacheco, and Eron Linn (incumbent). There were many good questions, but one audience question in particular distilled the whole election down to its essential question. It was a yes/no question. The three candidates answered, in effect, yes, no, and don't blame me.

Kimi (2022)

Rotten Tomatoes

Kimi (2022): Psychological mystery by Steven Soderbergh with Zoë Kravitz as a tech worker who overhears a murder on an audio stream. Movie has a "Rear Window" feel and a pandemic quarantine claustrophobic feel. No plot twists, but a serviceable thriller nonetheless. B-

We Are Lady Parts (TV 2021)

Rotten Tomatoes

We Are Lady Parts (TV 2021): Musical comedy. Five young British Muslim women form a punk band. Lead character gets stage fright because what she's doing is so out of character. The whole show is. These are real, believable people, all different, breaking stereotypes. A-

The Gilded Age (TV 2022)

Rotten Tomatoes

The Gilded Age (TV 2022) ): Costume drama set in 1882 NYC, where the nouveau riche try to crash old-money society. If you loved Downton Abbey, you'll like this. Only Julian Fellowes can make a robber baron a sympathetic character. If you want history, balance this with PBS. B-

POTD: Richardson Homeowner Shows Solidarity with Ukraine

Today's photo-of-the-day is from Richardson, Texas. It shows one homeowner's solidarity with Ukraine. On the other side of the fence from the Ukrainian flag is a threatening pumpkin-headed skeleton. The homeowner says the placement is coincidence, but I really think the skeleton should have a sign labeled "Russia" around its neck.

POTD: Seat Belts Save Lives

No One Was Injured

Today's photo-of-the-day is from Richardson, Texas. The accident happened on Plano Rd at the entrance to the shopping center on the northeast corner of Plano and Belt Line. There were five passengers in the overturned car. The youngest was a three year old girl in a car seat who found herself hanging upside down. Richardson emergency responders had to help all five passengers exit the vehicle. Nobody in that car or the other car involved were injured. The two cars, on the other hand, were probably total losses. I noticed that the overturned car had a temporary license tag. You know what they say: a new car loses 20% of its value the minute you drive it off the dealer's lot.

POTD: Living Solar Panels

Living Solar Panels, by Ash Gardner

Trees can live for five thousand years.
The oldest ones saw the birth of Cleopatra.
The astronauts, the moon landings.
They are living solar panels.

No-one can speak to the sun.
We can't understand what it is saying.
It speaks in wavelengths we can't interpret.
But trees and corals will translate it for everyone.

Source: Living Solar Panels.

The Wheel Award for Excellence in Motion Pictures

The Academy Awards will be given out Sunday, March 27, 2022. I've seen all the nominees for Best Picture. That means my opinion means something. Right?

I've ranked the movies in order of my preference for "Best Picture." The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Science uses ranked choice voting (RCV) to ensure that the winner has broad support throughout the Academy members. I wish US political elections used a similar system (or perhaps some form of proportional voting system).

My ranking of the Oscar nominees is based on the grades I gave the movies immediately after seeing them. In case of ties, I ordered them by my considered judgment today. Note this is not my prediction of which movie will win (cough, CODA), but for which I would vote, had I a vote.

The envelope please. The winner of "The Wheel Award for Excellence in Motion Pictures" goes to...